>So we need to understand the whole
problem not just one incident.
Nor, Truman, is it some mythical rise in death
rates. I do not remember a year of going to AERC convention and talking
with ride vets when we have not discussed deaths in the plural. We have
only had good stats on deaths for 3 or 4 years, even though we have had some
reporting prior to that. We now have instant communication where every
death is a Ridecamp Occasion. While Bob is stretching it to say we see no
causuality between the sport and the deaths, he has a valid point in that only a
few of the deaths can be linked to endurance riding. Yes, Sue, it is
horrifying to deal with deaths caused by overriding. But in all of the
years I've been in this sport as both a veterinarian and a rider (30 years now),
I have personally been around only three about which that could be
said. One occurred at a ride I vetted back in the early 80s.
Two occurred at a ride I rode, where ambient conditions were horrible
and the vetting was archaic--one belonged to a client of mine and was ridden by
a friend of hers, and I ended up being the "home veterinarian" to whom it was
referred. All three of those deaths would have been prevented by what we
have learned during the era in which they occurred (80's). I am aware of a
small handful of others from this area about which that can also be said--most
of which also would not occur today. Most deaths at rides
actually are pretty clear-cut cases that the sport is NOT the culprit these
days--and I make that statement both from my own experience and
observations as well as from the data that has come out of the veterinary
committee from reviewing information collected about the deaths that have
occurred.
I don't know anything about the recent death to
which reference has been made--and I prefer to wait for official reports before
having a "Ridecamp Roast" about it. But if it is, indeed, due to
overriding, I would also state that the sport is no more "at fault" than is the
proverbial "attractive nuisance". The sign says "Don't Feed The
Bears" but you do anyway, and they came back to your camp and crawled in your
tent with you? Well, duh... The vets warn, and exhort, and lecture
at the pre-ride meeting, and you overrode your horse anyway? Shame on
you! Yes, I hope we learn from the bad apples so that we can better detect
the next ones and stop them. But to say that the sport is to blame is
laughable. NO, Truman, this is not like the tobacco industry
situation. Endurance done right is beneficial to horses--it makes them
fitter, healthier, and adds useful years to their lives--providing it is done
right. After years in private equine practice, I can tell you
that it would be ideal to have a practice full of endurance horses--less
colics, less founders, less illnesses, but lots more consultation on
wellness strategies! I've yet to see cigarettes make ANYONE fitter,
healthier, or add years to their lives--the only argument there is that
cigarettes don't manage to kill everyone who smokes them.
In addition, although we can learn from them, we
can't count FEI rides as AERC death stats. Different rules, different
vetting protocols, etc. They make a great study for us--but the deaths at
the PACs and the WECs do NOT elevate AERC death stats.
Bottom line--it sure would be nice to have
intelligent discussions about the actual physiology of what has gone wrong
with specific horses, without having Chicken Little running through the room at
intervals screaming that the Sky Is Falling and We Must Go And Tell The King,
alternating with Pete Politics hollering that We Must Legislate A Rule and
Larry Lawyer handing out his card to all asking for witnesses as to Who Was To
Blame. If we could get down to talking about the actual findings in
specific horses, we MIGHT actually start to learn something that MIGHT just help
the next one.
